Motor-vehicle.



No. 627,523. Patented June 27, 1899.

E. J. PENNINGTDN.

MOTOR VEHICLE.

(Application filed Dec. 80, 1897.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

will

Patented June 27, I899.

E. J. PENNINGTON.

MOTOR VEHICLE.

(Application filed Dec. 80, 1897.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(N0 Modal.)

UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWVARD PENNINGTON, 'OF WVALTON-UPON-TI-IAMES, ENGLAND.

MOTOR-VEHICLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Iatent No. 627,523, dated June2'7, 1899.

Application filed December 30, 1897. Serial No. 664,736. (No model.) i

T0 aZZ- whom it may concern.-

- Be itknown'that LEDWARD J.PENN1NGT N, a citizen of the United States,residing at Walton-upon-Thames,in the county of Surrey, England, haveinvented'certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating tothe'Steering of Vehicles, particularly Motor-Vehicles, (for which I haveobtained a patent in Great Britain, No. 16,969, dated July 31, 1896,) ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description. A r

This invention relates to the steering of vehicles,especiallymotor-vehicles, being particularly applicable to tricycles, since one ofthe objects which I seekto attain by its use is to increase the safetyor stability of the vehicl'e in going around corners.

I will describe the invention as applied to a tricycle or three-wheeledvehicle.

The objectof'the invention is to throw the center of gravity of thevehicle or the passengers or load, or both, toward the center of thecircular are described by the'vehicle, so as to counteract thecentrifugal force operating in the opposite direction. This effect maybe obtained either by tilting the necessary parts of the apparatus so asto relatively lower those parts to the inside of the curve and to raisethose to the outside of the curve, or it may be effected by bodilymoving the necessary portions, particularly the load, to thatv ries orforms the seating accommodation of the vehicle. The pivoting would beupon a longitudinal axis, so that the seats would tilt to the right orleft of the central line of the vehicle. The movement may be effectedby,

inclinedplanes, cranks, levers, or the like, preferably connecteddirectly or indirectly with the steering mechanism, so that when thesteering'apparatus is turned to direct the vehicle in a curve to theright hand the seat or seats at that side of the vehicle will be loweredand the seat or seats at the other side In the case particularly of avehicle intended always to go around curves in the same direction, as inthe case of a pacing-vehicle for cycle-tracks, the seating arrangementmay be pivoted at one side of the vehicle and the other side eitherraised or lowered, the effect being substantially the same as thatalready described.

Ifpreferred, the whole frame may be moved in relation to the'wheels,particularly the two steering-wheels, the forks containing which may beconnected with the T or equivalent frame by vertical slides, which maybeset to a circular sweep, so that while the 'wheels maintain their samepositions in relation to the ground the T-frame would vary, one sideapproaching the ground and the other receding from it.

Where it is desired to affect the driving portion of the vehicle only,the stem of the T may be jointed or theconnectionbetween the slides,slings, links, or equivalent and moved by any convenient arrangement oflevers, screws, or other suitable devices operating, as before, inconjunction with the steering.

It will easily be appreciated that the invention can be applied in amorezor less similar manner to vehicles with more than three wheels.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 a plan,of aPennington motor-tricycle provided with one form of my improved tiltingappa-' ratus. Fig. 3 is afront elevation of an alternative form of adetail of the machine shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a frontelevation of a motor-cycle having an alternativeconstruction of tiltingapparatus. Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively a side elevation and amend ofthe vehicle will be raised, and vice versa.

or front elevation of part of a motor-tricycle provided with a secondform of the apparatus.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a tricycle provided with a further form ofthe apparatus.

Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the framework A A of the tricycle may besubstantially of a rigid T shape, the two leading or steering wheels Bbeing carried in forks B, pivoted in or to the cross or member A of theT, and the rear or driving wheel 0 being carried in a fork A formed inor connected to the stem or member A of the T. Upon the bar or tube Arigidly connected to or forming an integral part of the T-frame A A, ispivoted a frame or platform D, carrying seats or saddles D andfoot-boards D or otherwise arranged for providing the necessary seatingaccommodation. The bar or tube A is situated in the longitudinal centralplane of the vehicle, so that the seats D may tilt to the right and leftof the central line of the vehicle. At the back of the vehicle isprovided a saddle E for the steersman. This saddle is secured to the baror tube A and, unlike the saddles D, has no tilting motion. Thesteering-pillar F maybe connected to the steeringforks B by chain-gear Fand connected by any convenient gearing with the tilting frame orplatform D. In Fig. 1 it is shown as provided with a preferably forkedor slotted arm F which engages an arm D of the frame D, projectingdownward beneath the bar or tube A By this arrangement when thesteeringpillar F is turned to direct the vehicle in a curve to, say, theright hand the seat D (or seats, if more are provided) at the right-handside of the vehicle will be lowered and the seat (or seats) at theleft-hand side of the vehicle will be raised, or vice versa. As analternative connection between the parts F and D, there could be a drumF on the steering-pillar F, connected by a chain F to arms D on theframe D in the manner indicated in Fig. 3, so that on rotation of thesteeringpillar F the chain F cants the frame to one side or the other bymeans of the arms D M is the motor, which is mounted on the stem A ofthe T and from which motion is transmitted to the driving-wheel Bthrough any suitable gearing.

In the case particularly of a vehicle intended always to go aroundcurves in the same directionas, for example, a pacing-vehicle forcycle-tracksthe seating arrangement or frame may be pivoted at one sideof the vehicle and the other side of the seat-frame either raised orlowered, the effect being substantially the same as that previouslydescribed with reference to Figs. 1 and 2.

In the construction shown in Fig. 4: the forks have stems B B upon whichare quickthreaded screws,engaging with similar screws formed on theinterior of sockets or forkbearings A A fixed at the ends of thetransverse frame member A. The screws on the stems B B are threadedreverselythat is to say, if the screw on the stem B is lefthanded thaton the stem B is right-handed. By this construction the stems B B whenrotated together by the operation of the steering gealgscrew one end ofthe transverse member A up and the other end down, thereby canting thewhole body of the machine to one side or the other, as desired. Insteadof the screw-threaded stems B B cams could be employed and controlled bythe steering-gear for canting the frame relatively to the steering-wheelforks in like manner.

As shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the steering-forks B are connected to theframe member A by vertical slides G, which, as shown in Fig. 5, may beset to a circular sweep, so that while the steering-wheels B maintaintheir position in relation to the ground the frame A A would vary, oneend of the transverse member A thereof approaching the ground and theother receding from it, and the drivingwheel 0 being also inclined, allas shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6.

In Fig. 7 I have represented an arrangement wherein only thedrivingportion of the vehicle is affected when traveling in a curve. Inthis example the stem or member A of the T-frame is pivoted atits frontend in the member A and at its rear end conveniently in the tube orframe A on or to which seats D are rigidly attached, and the member A isprovided with an arm A, with which engages an arm F 2 on thesteering-pillar F. When the steering-pillar F is turned to direct thevehicle in a curve, the arm F acting on the arm a causes thedriving-wheel O and the motor M to be canted over so as to throw thecenter of gravity of the vehicle toward the center of the circular aredescribed by the vehicle, the steering-wheels throughout this operationmaintaining their perpendicularity in relation to the ground.

It is not necessary that the devices by which the movement of the centerof gravity is effected should be directly connected with the steeringmechanism. The desired result would be obtained if the mechanism forshifting the center of gravity were controlled independently of butoperative in conjunction with the steering mechanism.

lVhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is

1. In a self-propelled vehicle, the combination of a frame carrying themotive apparatus and the driving wheel or wheels, a second frame pivotedto the first frame in the longitudinal center of the vehicle, and meansfor rocking one frame with respect to the other, the steering-wheelsstanding at all times in an upright position, substantially as setforth.

2. In a self-propelled vehicle, the combination of a frame carrying themotive apparatus, the driving wheel or wheels, and the support for thesteering-Wheels, a second frame for carrying passengers or freightpivoted to the first frame in the longitudinal center of the IIOvehicle, and means for rocking one frame with respect to the other, thesteering-Wheels standing at all times in an upright position,substantially as set forth.

3. In a self-propelled vehicle, the combination of a frame carrying themotive apparatus, the driving Wheel or Wheels, and the support for thesteering-wheels, a second frame for carrying passengers or freight,pivoted to the first frame in the longitudinal center of the vehicle,and means for rocking one frame with respect to the other by the act ofsteering, the steering-Wheels standing at all times in a substantiallyperpendicular position, as set forth.

4. In a self-propelled vehicle the combination with the fork-bearing orother support for one or'rnore of the road-Wheels, of a screwor camdevice for the purpose of raising or lowering that side or portion ofthe vehicle.

5. In a self-propelled vehicle, the herein described means of tiltingthe frame or a part one or both sides of the vehicle, substantially asdescribed.

. 7. In a self-propelled vehicle the combina- 'tion of twosteering-forks having worms or cams so arranged that as the forks areturned they raise or lower their respective sides or parts of thevehicle, and a chain and chain- Wheel connection to the steeringmechanism substantially as and for the purpose described. EDWARD J.PENNINGTON.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR B. SEIBOLD,. SIDNEY I. IIoLLtNGsWoRTH.

